Last week brought some lovely temps to work outside in and we maximized our time, that's for sure!
Stringing the first line...
Beginning brace (entrance to the orchard)...
Cross fence...
And there it is!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Fencing
Welp, after all the buildup, we managed to take down approximately 3200' (NOT EVEN HALF) of 4 strand smooth twisted wire and in its place strung 5 strand high tensile to create 2 usable pastures and an orchard!
Last week brought some lovely temps to work outside in and we maximized our time, that's for sure!
Stringing the first line...
Beginning brace (entrance to the orchard)...
Cross fence...
And there it is!
Last week brought some lovely temps to work outside in and we maximized our time, that's for sure!
Stringing the first line...
Beginning brace (entrance to the orchard)...
Cross fence...
And there it is!
Crappy Bottle Babies
Why are we bottle feeding? It's a long story...but not really. Fleur was a bottle baby herself. Why do people bottle raise? Disease prevention, etc. I won't go any further than that. Because Fleur was a bottle baby, she's clueless when it comes to feeding her own. She's a good baby sitter, that's about all, so I took all 3 of her kids.
Then comes Freedoe's three and I figured I'd be selling 2 of Fleur's and that would mean there was a bottle baby all alone, so que "Chee Doe". So, we have 4 bottle babies and I hate every one of them. I don't hate the goats, I hate the act. 4 bottles a day, milking required, bottle cleaning, crappy bottle babies who love you for nothing more than the bottles you bring. They are cute and cuddly from afar. I am raising them with the herd so at least they are eating hay like normal kids their age and can learn how to be a goat and not a pet dog but the jumping and the nipping and the whining, GOD!
If nothing else, it's a good experience- one I'll not soon repeat- and it'll look good in Rachel's 4-H folder.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Gunpowder and Lead Continued...
I have just a second to jot down why King wasn't at the fence when the coyote episode lead to Jeremiah being outside in his underwear holding a loaded shotgun in freezing temps the other morning.
The day before when Jeremiah was leaving for work we saw King up near the road. This time of year without leaves on the trees, we can see much of the road. Jeremiah said the dog was up near the road and of course I freaked out and sternly told him to come to which he obliged but somewhat unhappily.
I've come to learn that LGD's have a mind of their own, or at least this one does. Not that most animals don't but I've been told LGD's can be somewhat stubborn and take a firmer hand but that's part of why they are so smart, at least with King. He's obedient, though somewhat unhappily at times. Butters was just an idiot. Not that we didn't love him and not that he wasn't a kind idiot, we tried and tried to get him to stop running, in the end, that was just Butters. But aside from that and back to my story, I called King back and Jeremiah said he had a bloody paw. By the looks of things, I figured he was eating on something.
Sure enough, no sooner than I put him in the garage to deal with the morning, Jeremiah called from the road in the car to say a deer had been hit and was laying in the ditch. That's not uncommon at all. Uncommon thus far to have one hit in the front yard, but dead animals are a pretty common site along the road.
At any rate, I knew if I put him back in the goat pen he'd just get back out so what's a girl to do but drag the dead deer carcass to him? So, that's what I did and he was happy. If you'll remember right, King needed a new home, which is how he came to us, because at his last owners he was visiting the meat locker in town. I had gotten him a bone a couple of days before but why would a bone be good enough when he had a whole damn deer at his disposal?
That was the night of the "Gunpowder and Lead" episode. I drug the deer into an "open" pen so that he could chew on it without the goats getting to it. It wasn't that I thought they'd gnaw on it, I just didn't want them to see their fellow kind lying dead and disemboweled. Sorry, maybe that's too much information.
I know what some of you are thinking, you're letting the same dog who is eating on a deer live amongst your goats??? Well, yes, yes I am. What can I say? Obviously he knows the difference and it's not like he went out and killed the deer. He was just getting some good eats.
And some of you may also be thinking, "OH LORD, SHE DRUG A DEAD DEER TO THE BACK FOR HER DOG TO CHEW ON??" Yes, I did that too. What else was I supposed to do? I wasn't about to bury it. It's good meat, our dog wanted it, and it's not like I killed it! So, why be wasteful!? Perhaps I'll need to flip the "Trashy People Live Here" sign back because we were doing so good for so long. What, with me hanging laundry to dry on an actual clothes line instead of our cattle panel back yard fence-never mind that it's sunk into the loamy soil so far that the jeans drag on the ground and the fact my boys still pee in the yard and now we had a whole dead deer I pilfered off the road and drug into the back yard for dog food!
Now that that's out of the way- I had shut the gate partially enough to the (renamed "dead deer") pen so the goats probably wouldn't spend the time trying to squeeze though but the dog could. It ended up that he got locked into that pen and so the morning of the coyote sighting the poor guy was locked up and best I can figure he knew where his carcass was, he couldn't get out so why bother barking? I don't know if that's true. I do know he coudn't get out. I know I didn't hear him and I know that's why he didn't come when I called. Maybe he thought he was in trouble and should mind his P's and Q's. I can't say for sure. Hell, maybe he was way out back, I don't know. What I do know is he was locked in that pen when Jeremiah and I went out once we were dressed.
What I can say is that yes, he's naughty for getting out to get the deer, but we can't stop that. Seriously, we really can't. Even if we put up a block wall around the whole entire property, he'd get out. It scares me that he goes up to the road but I can only hope that he has enough good sense, and he seems to, to stay the hell off of it. If not, what else can we do? Chain him? What good is he then and what kind of life is that? So, in the end King will do what he wants. He knows where he lives, he's not a jumpety dog who runs everywhere he goes and so we hope for the best. It's not as if he spends every night out...he's just curious and while he has gotten out of the pen, it's normally because we're on the other side and he just wants to be with someone other than goats who have disdain for him and babies that like to jump on him. Do you blame him?
Anyway, I can say without a shadow of a doubt he's a good protector. We've had coyotes here every night/morning and he's sent them on their way. Jeremiah has gone out a number of mornings to do some population control only for them to be gone by the time he was dressed and ready to go because of King. A couple days ago the dang deer smelled so bad Jeremiah and I drug it out of the pen to the back 40, hauled the trailer out there and have plans to do a steak out. I think the trailer has kind of thwarted our efforts because I haven't heard coyotes in a few mornings until this morning when I got Jeremiah up again at about 4:30 AM to go out with the gun but King had chased them off, literally. He got out of the pen and chased them somewhere out back. They were close this morning again too. By the sound of it, probably out back by the deer carcass so not as near as the back yard like the other day but still, they don't need to be here. They can go eat someone elses cats...or goats.
All of this sounds like we're on high alert with these darn coyotes. To be honest, since getting King I haven't felt at all afraid for the goats...well, except the one morning when I was woken from a sound sleep and can't hear my dog! He's there and he does his job well..except when he's not and he isn't...you know? I know I can count on King...except when I can't :o)...unlike all the other stupid dogs in the neighborhood, to alert me when something's there because he only barks when something is. Or at least I assume. While the other dogs are yapping away, he's gone quiet. He knows. And while I don't have a problem initiating some population control on the coyote population, I also don't feel we have to either because the goats are safe. So, at least for today, the coyotes will live another day.
Yesterday morning around about 7:45 while I was in the milk room he started in barking and running to the east fence, I looked out and saw 4 deer jumping across the pasture to the north. So pretty much, he hates coyotes and deer. He knows the difference too between domestic dog and coyote...it's uncanny.
So, that's that. We're back to being trashy, our dog does well when he's not locked up with a carcass and being outside in your underwear before it's light out and freezing makes for a good story.
The end.
The day before when Jeremiah was leaving for work we saw King up near the road. This time of year without leaves on the trees, we can see much of the road. Jeremiah said the dog was up near the road and of course I freaked out and sternly told him to come to which he obliged but somewhat unhappily.
I've come to learn that LGD's have a mind of their own, or at least this one does. Not that most animals don't but I've been told LGD's can be somewhat stubborn and take a firmer hand but that's part of why they are so smart, at least with King. He's obedient, though somewhat unhappily at times. Butters was just an idiot. Not that we didn't love him and not that he wasn't a kind idiot, we tried and tried to get him to stop running, in the end, that was just Butters. But aside from that and back to my story, I called King back and Jeremiah said he had a bloody paw. By the looks of things, I figured he was eating on something.
Sure enough, no sooner than I put him in the garage to deal with the morning, Jeremiah called from the road in the car to say a deer had been hit and was laying in the ditch. That's not uncommon at all. Uncommon thus far to have one hit in the front yard, but dead animals are a pretty common site along the road.
At any rate, I knew if I put him back in the goat pen he'd just get back out so what's a girl to do but drag the dead deer carcass to him? So, that's what I did and he was happy. If you'll remember right, King needed a new home, which is how he came to us, because at his last owners he was visiting the meat locker in town. I had gotten him a bone a couple of days before but why would a bone be good enough when he had a whole damn deer at his disposal?
That was the night of the "Gunpowder and Lead" episode. I drug the deer into an "open" pen so that he could chew on it without the goats getting to it. It wasn't that I thought they'd gnaw on it, I just didn't want them to see their fellow kind lying dead and disemboweled. Sorry, maybe that's too much information.
I know what some of you are thinking, you're letting the same dog who is eating on a deer live amongst your goats??? Well, yes, yes I am. What can I say? Obviously he knows the difference and it's not like he went out and killed the deer. He was just getting some good eats.
And some of you may also be thinking, "OH LORD, SHE DRUG A DEAD DEER TO THE BACK FOR HER DOG TO CHEW ON??" Yes, I did that too. What else was I supposed to do? I wasn't about to bury it. It's good meat, our dog wanted it, and it's not like I killed it! So, why be wasteful!? Perhaps I'll need to flip the "Trashy People Live Here" sign back because we were doing so good for so long. What, with me hanging laundry to dry on an actual clothes line instead of our cattle panel back yard fence-never mind that it's sunk into the loamy soil so far that the jeans drag on the ground and the fact my boys still pee in the yard and now we had a whole dead deer I pilfered off the road and drug into the back yard for dog food!
Now that that's out of the way- I had shut the gate partially enough to the (renamed "dead deer") pen so the goats probably wouldn't spend the time trying to squeeze though but the dog could. It ended up that he got locked into that pen and so the morning of the coyote sighting the poor guy was locked up and best I can figure he knew where his carcass was, he couldn't get out so why bother barking? I don't know if that's true. I do know he coudn't get out. I know I didn't hear him and I know that's why he didn't come when I called. Maybe he thought he was in trouble and should mind his P's and Q's. I can't say for sure. Hell, maybe he was way out back, I don't know. What I do know is he was locked in that pen when Jeremiah and I went out once we were dressed.
What I can say is that yes, he's naughty for getting out to get the deer, but we can't stop that. Seriously, we really can't. Even if we put up a block wall around the whole entire property, he'd get out. It scares me that he goes up to the road but I can only hope that he has enough good sense, and he seems to, to stay the hell off of it. If not, what else can we do? Chain him? What good is he then and what kind of life is that? So, in the end King will do what he wants. He knows where he lives, he's not a jumpety dog who runs everywhere he goes and so we hope for the best. It's not as if he spends every night out...he's just curious and while he has gotten out of the pen, it's normally because we're on the other side and he just wants to be with someone other than goats who have disdain for him and babies that like to jump on him. Do you blame him?
Anyway, I can say without a shadow of a doubt he's a good protector. We've had coyotes here every night/morning and he's sent them on their way. Jeremiah has gone out a number of mornings to do some population control only for them to be gone by the time he was dressed and ready to go because of King. A couple days ago the dang deer smelled so bad Jeremiah and I drug it out of the pen to the back 40, hauled the trailer out there and have plans to do a steak out. I think the trailer has kind of thwarted our efforts because I haven't heard coyotes in a few mornings until this morning when I got Jeremiah up again at about 4:30 AM to go out with the gun but King had chased them off, literally. He got out of the pen and chased them somewhere out back. They were close this morning again too. By the sound of it, probably out back by the deer carcass so not as near as the back yard like the other day but still, they don't need to be here. They can go eat someone elses cats...or goats.
All of this sounds like we're on high alert with these darn coyotes. To be honest, since getting King I haven't felt at all afraid for the goats...well, except the one morning when I was woken from a sound sleep and can't hear my dog! He's there and he does his job well..except when he's not and he isn't...you know? I know I can count on King...except when I can't :o)...unlike all the other stupid dogs in the neighborhood, to alert me when something's there because he only barks when something is. Or at least I assume. While the other dogs are yapping away, he's gone quiet. He knows. And while I don't have a problem initiating some population control on the coyote population, I also don't feel we have to either because the goats are safe. So, at least for today, the coyotes will live another day.
Yesterday morning around about 7:45 while I was in the milk room he started in barking and running to the east fence, I looked out and saw 4 deer jumping across the pasture to the north. So pretty much, he hates coyotes and deer. He knows the difference too between domestic dog and coyote...it's uncanny.
So, that's that. We're back to being trashy, our dog does well when he's not locked up with a carcass and being outside in your underwear before it's light out and freezing makes for a good story.
The end.
Monday, March 21, 2011
I need beer
It's Spring Break. Friday afternoon we spent the afternoon and evening fence supply shopping. In true fashion, we've been to town twice now and will have to make a few other trips yet.
We've decided to play it safe and do about a 520' pasture on the east side of the property instead of going hog wild and trying the whole thing. To be honest, taking down the fencing proved to be more work than I imagined but yesterday, in the lovely 70 degree sun, we were able to remove approximately 1,000 feet of 4 strand twisted wire. Our neighbor came over to remove and cut back some trees on his side and he used his tractor to remove quite a few rotten posts and incorrectly place (for our application) t posts.
Because we don't have an auger and because we don't want to dig post holes by hand, we're going with a t post and "Wedge loc" application. Our neighbor is skeptical but I've done about as much research as a person can do on the Wedge Loc system and it all seems sound. The only cynical information is from people who haven't used it themselves and the positives are from people who have used it. We've put up double "H" brace corner braces in about 15 minutes including getting the posts pounded in, try doing that with wood. While the whole system, quite honestly, is actually more expensive than traditional wood, the ease of use far outweighs the cost.
I've got some photos of a completed brace I'll show you later on.
We wanted to get to stringing today but odd jobs took a bunch of time. Tomorrow AM we'll get started stringing the fence line and providing nothing else comes up, I should have a completed pasture by noon. The neighbor's skeptical about that too. High tensile is not typical so explaining its ease of application is a bit difficult but once it's up, I'll win 'em over.
The grass is greening up here. We had rain on Saturday but it's been in the 80's yesterday and today...too hot in fact but I'll take it over negatives and snow.
About the title... Kansas is a dry state on Sundays. We learned the hard way that if you run out of beer on Saturday night, you had better make it to the liquor store/grocery store before midnight if you're going to need beer on Sunday (or have a really generous neighbor). While we didn't run out of beer on Saturday and while we're not huge beer drinkers, when a person wants a beer, they're sure nice to have around! We were at Walmart a few weeks ago on a Sunday. We drug a 12 pack up to the front to be asked/told by the cashier, "You know I can't sell you this right?". Jeremiah's response was, "Yeah, we knew that but we just like dragging beer through the whole store!". He didn't really say it out loud. Anyway, so yeah, no liquor on Sundays.
Course, Sunday is when we started on the fence and I cannot tell you how many times Jeremiah wished he had a beer! I felt like hitting him with a rock...or a t post. Finally, he conned the neighbor into getting us a couple nice cold ones from his fridge. He was happy to oblige and personally I felt like Andy Dufresne and his prison buddies in Shawshank Redemption out there drinking ice cold beer after a hard day's work.
We've decided to play it safe and do about a 520' pasture on the east side of the property instead of going hog wild and trying the whole thing. To be honest, taking down the fencing proved to be more work than I imagined but yesterday, in the lovely 70 degree sun, we were able to remove approximately 1,000 feet of 4 strand twisted wire. Our neighbor came over to remove and cut back some trees on his side and he used his tractor to remove quite a few rotten posts and incorrectly place (for our application) t posts.
Because we don't have an auger and because we don't want to dig post holes by hand, we're going with a t post and "Wedge loc" application. Our neighbor is skeptical but I've done about as much research as a person can do on the Wedge Loc system and it all seems sound. The only cynical information is from people who haven't used it themselves and the positives are from people who have used it. We've put up double "H" brace corner braces in about 15 minutes including getting the posts pounded in, try doing that with wood. While the whole system, quite honestly, is actually more expensive than traditional wood, the ease of use far outweighs the cost.
I've got some photos of a completed brace I'll show you later on.
We wanted to get to stringing today but odd jobs took a bunch of time. Tomorrow AM we'll get started stringing the fence line and providing nothing else comes up, I should have a completed pasture by noon. The neighbor's skeptical about that too. High tensile is not typical so explaining its ease of application is a bit difficult but once it's up, I'll win 'em over.
The grass is greening up here. We had rain on Saturday but it's been in the 80's yesterday and today...too hot in fact but I'll take it over negatives and snow.
About the title... Kansas is a dry state on Sundays. We learned the hard way that if you run out of beer on Saturday night, you had better make it to the liquor store/grocery store before midnight if you're going to need beer on Sunday (or have a really generous neighbor). While we didn't run out of beer on Saturday and while we're not huge beer drinkers, when a person wants a beer, they're sure nice to have around! We were at Walmart a few weeks ago on a Sunday. We drug a 12 pack up to the front to be asked/told by the cashier, "You know I can't sell you this right?". Jeremiah's response was, "Yeah, we knew that but we just like dragging beer through the whole store!". He didn't really say it out loud. Anyway, so yeah, no liquor on Sundays.
Course, Sunday is when we started on the fence and I cannot tell you how many times Jeremiah wished he had a beer! I felt like hitting him with a rock...or a t post. Finally, he conned the neighbor into getting us a couple nice cold ones from his fridge. He was happy to oblige and personally I felt like Andy Dufresne and his prison buddies in Shawshank Redemption out there drinking ice cold beer after a hard day's work.
 |
| He really does love them!!! |
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| The first brace goes in! |
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Meet the Saturday Triplets
Had another set of triplets born to Freedoe on Saturday- one little doe and 2 buck kids.
Meet Chee Doe...
& B7 and B8
Meet Chee Doe...
& B7 and B8
Gunpowder and Lead
Here's some humor for you. Imagine this if you will -or you may not actually want to-. I was coming out of REM sleep around 5 AM this morning dreaming about something, though I couldn't tell you what. I hear dogs barking -which isn't at all unusual- and the distinct yip yip yip howl from a coyote, and it is CLOSE!
Thoughts about why I can't hear King barking along with saving the babies and everything else run through my head as I fumble down the hallway, and into the garage to put my barn shoes on. I nearly fall off the landing of the stairs, but managed to get down those somehow without killing myself to turn on the back yard flood light and I saw coyote(s) eyes at the goat yard fence. Where King is I don't know. I call for him, he doesn't answer, doesn't come. It's not like him at all. "Did he run after some?" What's going on?" I think. I run back inside, still partly asleep mind you, disoriented, adrenaline pumping and I scream for Jeremiah to, "Get the gun. Coyotes are in the back yard."
Poor man, I don't think I was done with my sentence before he was up, shot gun shells laying on the bed, throwing them one by one into the gun...good soldier! Here he comes down the hall and hangs a right to the living room instead of b-lining it to the garage door and I'm thinking, "go out the back!". He grabs his can of tobacco and says, "If I am going to kill me some coyotes, I need tobacco". "Really? Seriously?", I think and roll my eyes and shake my head.
The rest of the story isn't important. It ends up that all the goats and babies are safe, King the dog is still there and the coyote(s) run off. The hysterical part in all of this is, it's in the low 30's! There my husband is, at 5 AM, loaded shotgun in hand, standing on the back patio squinting through the darkness, startled awake by his wife's screaming, tobacco in his mouth, in the dark, IN NOTHING BUT HIS UNDERWEAR! Yes my friends, if this scenario fits you, YOU might be a redneck!
Dear sweet man, who couldn't love someone who does that fer ya??? To top it all off, he was ready to walk out to the barn like that before I told him to hold on while I got him some clothes.
Thoughts about why I can't hear King barking along with saving the babies and everything else run through my head as I fumble down the hallway, and into the garage to put my barn shoes on. I nearly fall off the landing of the stairs, but managed to get down those somehow without killing myself to turn on the back yard flood light and I saw coyote(s) eyes at the goat yard fence. Where King is I don't know. I call for him, he doesn't answer, doesn't come. It's not like him at all. "Did he run after some?" What's going on?" I think. I run back inside, still partly asleep mind you, disoriented, adrenaline pumping and I scream for Jeremiah to, "Get the gun. Coyotes are in the back yard."
Poor man, I don't think I was done with my sentence before he was up, shot gun shells laying on the bed, throwing them one by one into the gun...good soldier! Here he comes down the hall and hangs a right to the living room instead of b-lining it to the garage door and I'm thinking, "go out the back!". He grabs his can of tobacco and says, "If I am going to kill me some coyotes, I need tobacco". "Really? Seriously?", I think and roll my eyes and shake my head.
The rest of the story isn't important. It ends up that all the goats and babies are safe, King the dog is still there and the coyote(s) run off. The hysterical part in all of this is, it's in the low 30's! There my husband is, at 5 AM, loaded shotgun in hand, standing on the back patio squinting through the darkness, startled awake by his wife's screaming, tobacco in his mouth, in the dark, IN NOTHING BUT HIS UNDERWEAR! Yes my friends, if this scenario fits you, YOU might be a redneck!
Dear sweet man, who couldn't love someone who does that fer ya??? To top it all off, he was ready to walk out to the barn like that before I told him to hold on while I got him some clothes.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Fleur's kids
Fleur kidded on Thursday morning after a very quick labor and delivery on a beautifully warm day!- 2 does and 1 buck.Keep in mind, these photos were taken yesterday afternoon at about 30 hours old, they don't have their sea legs and aren't fully stretched out yet. They are being bottle fed and kept in the house at nigh as Fleur was bottle raised herself and doesn't fully take care of them.
Left: Buck kid "B 5" (Because not all boys will go to breeding homes and because this year's tattoo for registration is "B" followed by whatever # birth they were, we'll refer to all boys by their tattoo # unless they are sold. Even though boys may not be registered, they are counted in the birth # for my records.) Right: Doe Kid: Marmalade Prairie "Dawn"
"Dawn"
Marmalade Beneath The "Willow"
King is very attentive to the babies
Left: Buck kid "B 5" (Because not all boys will go to breeding homes and because this year's tattoo for registration is "B" followed by whatever # birth they were, we'll refer to all boys by their tattoo # unless they are sold. Even though boys may not be registered, they are counted in the birth # for my records.) Right: Doe Kid: Marmalade Prairie "Dawn"
"Dawn"
Marmalade Beneath The "Willow"
King is very attentive to the babies
Meet King
Jeremiah and I have both commented on how smart he is. Much more so than a regular family pet dog in my personal opinion. I would imagine that most "working" dogs have their special instinct(s) about them that makes them smarter in some ways and I am not bias at all, just to watch him makes you realize he's always thinking.
The goats were not thrilled to have him but over the course of 4 days they've calmed down a lot and don't mind him in the barn much, they're just wary. They crowd towards the back soe but you don't need to watch them to know how they feel. Watch the dog, HE knows and will immediately back off and give them their space if he feels they feel at all uneasy. It's really quite amazing.
Tuesday he managed to get on the other side of the pen fence. I went out around noon and he was none to thrilled to not be able to get back over. I don't know how he got on the other side but it wasn't a behavior I praised him for. He's not tried it since and matter of fact, yesterday we walked the property line checking on the condition of fence posts and he came along with but was a bit reluctant to go through the gate. He knew unless I invited him it was not okay.He stayed with me every step of the way around the whole property. The neighbors dogs were having a conniption fit but King didn't say a word.
All in all, we couldn't have asked for a better dog! I don't think he completely enjoys being with the goats full time, I think he'd like more family time but that is not his job. We all go out often even if just to say hello.
He's a big dog. And his bark, well, let's just say it's intimidating. He didn't take too kindly to the horse charging down the hill one day when she heard I was feeding. Maybe it's coincidence but we've also not heard the coyotes since we got him. I'm sure that's more coincidence but King sure was making ruckus last night and it was music to my ears because it means my baby goats are safe.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Conversations with Kids: Siblings
Drew: "Mama, if we have another baby this is what will happen."
Mama: "What's that?"
Drew: "Rachel will change the diapers, I will play with it, Daddy will feed it and you will rest."
Mama: "GREAT! LET'S HAVE A BILLION!"
Mama: "What's that?"
Drew: "Rachel will change the diapers, I will play with it, Daddy will feed it and you will rest."
Mama: "GREAT! LET'S HAVE A BILLION!"
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Remind me...
Remind me never to play "go fish" with a 4 year old after the cards haven't been shuffled from the last round that was played and a dealer that deals face up! Needless to say...I lost...BIG TIME! BUT, that's okay! I cleaned up at "memory". This mama hasn't lot it...completely...yet.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Whirlwind Weekend
Another busy weekend behind us and I think it may take me all week to recover.
Saturday we got out early to head up north. We spent the better portion of the day there helping out at a friend's and what not and I feel pretty accomplished at what all we were able to get done including pulling blood from 7 does, trimming 2 stinky bucks feet, removing a bathroom mirror and light fixture and eating some darn fine pizza for lunch.
After all the chores were done, the fam. and I headed 30 miles SE to Herington, Ks. to pick up our LGD (livestock guardian dog) "King". Trying to get him into the car was, well, fun but after all was said and done he settled right down. Jeremiah did have to pick him up and he probably weighs, well, I don't even know but for Jeremiah to say a lot, he must weigh a pretty good bit. His shear size is quite intimidating! King stayed in the garage somewhat happily Saturday night. Sunday morning he was ready to head out to the goats and he's still out there today so I think he might want to stay :o). I'll emphasis the fact that he could easily dig his way under the fence any time he wanted and could easily jump the fence any time he wanted too. Not too much but his own will is keeping him in.
He's a good dog, great with the kids and so far seems to be very obedient and willing to please. I saw him digging in the pen (not under the fence, just out in the open) and scolded him from the house to stop and immediately he did and went on to something else. The goats are skeptical of their new herd mate but they'll settle down and this is a perfect opportunity to start the cycle of guardian dogs as herd mates being as how kidding is about to get into full swing here over the next month. He seems to sense their uneasiness and has been hanging back letting them have their space but is always very eager to meet us at the gate and walk along side as we/I do the chores. It'll take some time for everyone to get adjusted but I can finally rest easy and not feel like I have to lock the babies up at night. At the very least, even if King turns out to be more of a family oriented dog than a guardian, the mere presents of him should keep predators away. He doesn't seem to mind living with the flock and is pretty relaxed about it all.
Sunday I found some couches in Wichita so we headed over there to pick those up. I told Rachel I would try my best to get started removing the popcorn crap on her ceiling so I can paint in there. It's supposed to rain I think-though that could change-but rain would make for a good weekend to stay inside and get inside stuff done.
The weather has been on again and off again cold and warm. There is some prediction of snow and rain and ice so we'll see how that turns out. Today is dreary and rain is expected later today and tomorrow.
A couple weekends ago we bought an approx. 2 ton round bale of grass hay (brome) and the damn thing is moldy through and through. Jeremiah and I spent the better part of 2 hours yesterday cutting it apart with a chainsaw and salvaging what we could. I don't have the guys # that we bought it from but I do have his address so one of the chores today is to sit down and write a letter and hope he calls me. It's not that I think he knew, it was barn stored after all and he runs a huge operation so it's not as though he was trying to stiff us as our single bale purchase is kind of a drop in the bucket for him I'd imagine. At the very least I'd like a mold free replacement or my money back!
Off here for now. If at some point over the next week if the sun comes out and/or I happen to remember the camera when I go out to the goats, I'll get a photo of our new herd member.
Saturday we got out early to head up north. We spent the better portion of the day there helping out at a friend's and what not and I feel pretty accomplished at what all we were able to get done including pulling blood from 7 does, trimming 2 stinky bucks feet, removing a bathroom mirror and light fixture and eating some darn fine pizza for lunch.
After all the chores were done, the fam. and I headed 30 miles SE to Herington, Ks. to pick up our LGD (livestock guardian dog) "King". Trying to get him into the car was, well, fun but after all was said and done he settled right down. Jeremiah did have to pick him up and he probably weighs, well, I don't even know but for Jeremiah to say a lot, he must weigh a pretty good bit. His shear size is quite intimidating! King stayed in the garage somewhat happily Saturday night. Sunday morning he was ready to head out to the goats and he's still out there today so I think he might want to stay :o). I'll emphasis the fact that he could easily dig his way under the fence any time he wanted and could easily jump the fence any time he wanted too. Not too much but his own will is keeping him in.
He's a good dog, great with the kids and so far seems to be very obedient and willing to please. I saw him digging in the pen (not under the fence, just out in the open) and scolded him from the house to stop and immediately he did and went on to something else. The goats are skeptical of their new herd mate but they'll settle down and this is a perfect opportunity to start the cycle of guardian dogs as herd mates being as how kidding is about to get into full swing here over the next month. He seems to sense their uneasiness and has been hanging back letting them have their space but is always very eager to meet us at the gate and walk along side as we/I do the chores. It'll take some time for everyone to get adjusted but I can finally rest easy and not feel like I have to lock the babies up at night. At the very least, even if King turns out to be more of a family oriented dog than a guardian, the mere presents of him should keep predators away. He doesn't seem to mind living with the flock and is pretty relaxed about it all.
Sunday I found some couches in Wichita so we headed over there to pick those up. I told Rachel I would try my best to get started removing the popcorn crap on her ceiling so I can paint in there. It's supposed to rain I think-though that could change-but rain would make for a good weekend to stay inside and get inside stuff done.
The weather has been on again and off again cold and warm. There is some prediction of snow and rain and ice so we'll see how that turns out. Today is dreary and rain is expected later today and tomorrow.
A couple weekends ago we bought an approx. 2 ton round bale of grass hay (brome) and the damn thing is moldy through and through. Jeremiah and I spent the better part of 2 hours yesterday cutting it apart with a chainsaw and salvaging what we could. I don't have the guys # that we bought it from but I do have his address so one of the chores today is to sit down and write a letter and hope he calls me. It's not that I think he knew, it was barn stored after all and he runs a huge operation so it's not as though he was trying to stiff us as our single bale purchase is kind of a drop in the bucket for him I'd imagine. At the very least I'd like a mold free replacement or my money back!
Off here for now. If at some point over the next week if the sun comes out and/or I happen to remember the camera when I go out to the goats, I'll get a photo of our new herd member.
Friday, March 4, 2011
More Hollow Updates
They've taken a real liking to Apricot (one of my does) and when Bonnie's not around-which is more and more often these days as she feels more and more confident in wandering about and not being at their beckon call-they like to hang out with her. Yesterday I caught them cuddling up beside her in the sunshine for a rest and she doesn't seem to mind that they jump all over her.
I've spent more time with the belted little guy the past 2 weeks as he was acting like he didn't have the time for humans. Not that they weren't friendly before but babies being babies, depending on their personality, sometimes just don't want to sit and relax for any length of time. The darker spotted one has always been overly anxious to walk up to receive pets but the belted one just hasn't had the time of day to hang around. He's had other priorities like running and jumping...on girls. Over the past 2 weeks he's finally decided that being pet is a great thing and being scratched is worth the time to hang around. Rachel has had some to do with that. After school she goes out, scoops him up and sets him on her lap in the sunshine and pets and talks to him. It's quite endearing. They are getting to big for Drew to pick up and he'd rather use my hoe to dig holes...and then leaves the hoe laying in the goat yard...and I don't notice it until I get up to the house and have to make him go back down to pick it up...and then he gets upset...and then I say I don't care...and then he grumbles all the way down to the barn...and in the amount of time it takes him to do it he forgets why he was upset and runs back up to get back to whatever it was that he was doing.
The weather's been pretty nice the past few days. My tarps were delivered Monday. I didn't pulled them out until yesterday afternoon. They are laying in the back yard. Looks like we're not going to get any rain today so we held off on cutting them up and installing grommets. We went back out to the barn to decide exactly how we're going to do this and I need to get a few more things from the hardware store.
Hopefully pictures of this endeavor to come...
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Hollow Update
We've been busy and will be busier yet to come.
I ordered tarps (used billboard tarps actually) to install on the front from of both shelters and the barn. The main idea is to keep the snow from blowing in but they should also help keep it a bit warmer as well. The tarps don't come with grommets so I am going to attempt laying them out in the back yard tomorrow and installing grommets with a kit we bought from Lowes. I'll let you know how that goes :o). As always, there are options in how to do so and I wrack my braining trying to decide which is the best way and worry it won't be done right. In some cases that's not such a big deal, you can fix it. In other cases, like a 10'x22' or a 12'x36' foot tarp, placing the grommets in the wrong location can kind of a big deal. It's supposed to pour tomorrow and I'd like to get 2 of these up. We bought some pretty expensive (for here) alfalfa rounds (1 ton each) and I'd prefer if it as not ruined thankyouverymuch. All the hay is barn (or south shelter), but if the wind kicked up, there's potential for ruin.
Second on the agenda: I've been worried about coyotes for a few weeks now. They sound numerous out there! While I think the neighbors (supper annoying yappity) dog(s) have possibly done a good job letting the coyotes know there are dogs around, long term the coyotes will figure out that baby goats may be an easy meal. Not only that, but with the hills and the trees, I cannot see the the entire property from the house, not to mention the fact the southern portion is about half as wide as the northern portion and so it juts behind the neighbors property a pretty fair bit and I cannot see much beyond the barn in a north-easterly direction from the kitchen window. The new fencing is supposed to just as good of a job at keeping things in that you want in as it is at keeping things out that you want out, but there still be cattle panel fencing around the pen area which is accessible to anything. Have I kept you in suspense for long enough as to our plan? Or did I not make it sound like there was a surprise?
Since we moved here I've been looking into an LGD (livestock guardian dog). I've researched donkeys (I don't want a donkey!) and llamas (after knowing what those were to like after living next door to 2 for years I think I'd be better off sticking a stuffed owl out there to keep coyotes away). I've been set on an LGD for ages now. These aren't Collies or any of the herding type of animals. There are actual breeds who do best living amongst their herd (breeds such as Pyrenees, Akbash, Anatolian, etc.). I need eyes and ears for my night watch and after seeing what the dogs can and will do, I'm set. Too many nights Jeremiah or myself (or both) have run out with the gun when the coyotes seem to be upon us. I know their howls can sound close even if they are far off but I want to know the flock is safe.
I don't want a puppy. I wouldn't know how to train a puppy. I want an adult who has been proven safe around children. and knows his/her job. These are LARGE dogs who take their guarding seriously. I'd prefer my human children not be run off. I kinda like them. And since Ican't won't re-home my children :o), finding an LGD that I know the dog will be good with has been utmost priority. I've not had any success until just last night a message went out on my goat group about an Akbash who needs a new home. He's 2. I don't know if he's fixed although someday I wouldn't mind breeding so if he was "whole" I'd leave him and possibly look into getting a female some day. Apparently at his current home he's taken a liking to visiting the meat locker 1/2 mile away and stealing goodies. With whatever fencing they have, they cannot keep him in. In our case, this shouldn't be a problem come the end of the month with the high tensile going in.
He's a very big dog and the owner sent photos of "King" with young children hanging all over him. As a general rule, you do not want to make pets out of these dogs. Their job is to guard the herd (or flock), and the herd (or flock) is their family. Often times they will even go as far as barking at humans that don't know (including people who live there who don't see them often). But apparently this dog likes being around people and so I am lead to believe he knows friend and foe very well. We will go meet him on Saturday. I don't think they eat very much for their large size. They aren't extremely hyper dogs and don't expend a lot of energy needing to run and so therefore don't need as much food as a dog proportional to their size who moved a lot. They lay about a lot watching the herd, moving with them, from what I've told. Getting the goats to accept him may be a challenge as they are wary of a friendly cat that likes to visit me but with the new babies coming, now is the best time to get them accustomed to a dog being in their midst.
we'll be picking up some laying hens within the next couple of months. Jo has some Rhode Island Reds that we'll take home. I'd also like to get some Barred Rocks as both of these are dual purpose birds that are good for meat and eggs. I'd like to get a roving coop built, a trailer type that we can move about into the different pastures for rotational grazing purposes. It keeps the pasture healthier and the chickens healthier too, or so I've read. You're probably wondering why we don't just build a stationary coop and my answer is that we cannot put them exactly where we want them. And granted, you can open the door and they can go where the want but if the coop is in a pasture and there's enough to eat (approx. 3 days after the goats have left that pasture) they're more apt to stay somewhat near. If that doesn't work, we've still got the coop and can just park it in a centralized location near the barn.
Time to get going on chores.
I ordered tarps (used billboard tarps actually) to install on the front from of both shelters and the barn. The main idea is to keep the snow from blowing in but they should also help keep it a bit warmer as well. The tarps don't come with grommets so I am going to attempt laying them out in the back yard tomorrow and installing grommets with a kit we bought from Lowes. I'll let you know how that goes :o). As always, there are options in how to do so and I wrack my braining trying to decide which is the best way and worry it won't be done right. In some cases that's not such a big deal, you can fix it. In other cases, like a 10'x22' or a 12'x36' foot tarp, placing the grommets in the wrong location can kind of a big deal. It's supposed to pour tomorrow and I'd like to get 2 of these up. We bought some pretty expensive (for here) alfalfa rounds (1 ton each) and I'd prefer if it as not ruined thankyouverymuch. All the hay is barn (or south shelter), but if the wind kicked up, there's potential for ruin.
Second on the agenda: I've been worried about coyotes for a few weeks now. They sound numerous out there! While I think the neighbors (supper annoying yappity) dog(s) have possibly done a good job letting the coyotes know there are dogs around, long term the coyotes will figure out that baby goats may be an easy meal. Not only that, but with the hills and the trees, I cannot see the the entire property from the house, not to mention the fact the southern portion is about half as wide as the northern portion and so it juts behind the neighbors property a pretty fair bit and I cannot see much beyond the barn in a north-easterly direction from the kitchen window. The new fencing is supposed to just as good of a job at keeping things in that you want in as it is at keeping things out that you want out, but there still be cattle panel fencing around the pen area which is accessible to anything. Have I kept you in suspense for long enough as to our plan? Or did I not make it sound like there was a surprise?
Since we moved here I've been looking into an LGD (livestock guardian dog). I've researched donkeys (I don't want a donkey!) and llamas (after knowing what those were to like after living next door to 2 for years I think I'd be better off sticking a stuffed owl out there to keep coyotes away). I've been set on an LGD for ages now. These aren't Collies or any of the herding type of animals. There are actual breeds who do best living amongst their herd (breeds such as Pyrenees, Akbash, Anatolian, etc.). I need eyes and ears for my night watch and after seeing what the dogs can and will do, I'm set. Too many nights Jeremiah or myself (or both) have run out with the gun when the coyotes seem to be upon us. I know their howls can sound close even if they are far off but I want to know the flock is safe.
I don't want a puppy. I wouldn't know how to train a puppy. I want an adult who has been proven safe around children. and knows his/her job. These are LARGE dogs who take their guarding seriously. I'd prefer my human children not be run off. I kinda like them. And since I
He's a very big dog and the owner sent photos of "King" with young children hanging all over him. As a general rule, you do not want to make pets out of these dogs. Their job is to guard the herd (or flock), and the herd (or flock) is their family. Often times they will even go as far as barking at humans that don't know (including people who live there who don't see them often). But apparently this dog likes being around people and so I am lead to believe he knows friend and foe very well. We will go meet him on Saturday. I don't think they eat very much for their large size. They aren't extremely hyper dogs and don't expend a lot of energy needing to run and so therefore don't need as much food as a dog proportional to their size who moved a lot. They lay about a lot watching the herd, moving with them, from what I've told. Getting the goats to accept him may be a challenge as they are wary of a friendly cat that likes to visit me but with the new babies coming, now is the best time to get them accustomed to a dog being in their midst.
we'll be picking up some laying hens within the next couple of months. Jo has some Rhode Island Reds that we'll take home. I'd also like to get some Barred Rocks as both of these are dual purpose birds that are good for meat and eggs. I'd like to get a roving coop built, a trailer type that we can move about into the different pastures for rotational grazing purposes. It keeps the pasture healthier and the chickens healthier too, or so I've read. You're probably wondering why we don't just build a stationary coop and my answer is that we cannot put them exactly where we want them. And granted, you can open the door and they can go where the want but if the coop is in a pasture and there's enough to eat (approx. 3 days after the goats have left that pasture) they're more apt to stay somewhat near. If that doesn't work, we've still got the coop and can just park it in a centralized location near the barn.
Time to get going on chores.
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